Sources: State must consult with Francke family about Gable's fate

The brothers of murdered Oregon Department of Corrections Director Michael Francke long criticized the state's prosecution of Frank Gable for the killing. But now state prosecutors must consult with Kevin and Patrick Francke about whether to retry or release Gable.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Acosta ruled on April 18 that Gable did not receive a fair trial for the highly publicized 1989 killing and is probably innocent. The Oregon attorney general and the Marion County district attorney have 90 days from the ruling to decide what to do.

But the Oregon Constitution includes a Victim's Right provision that says prosecutors must consult with family members before making their decision.

Salem attorney Steve Krasik, who has represented the brothers since shortly after the murder, said he is preparing the paperwork for them to exercise their rights under Article 1, Section 42, of the Constitution and the state's victim's right laws.

You can read more Portland Tribune stories on the case at pamplinmedia.com/FranckeMurder.

Even though the Residential Infill Project already has been in the works for nearly four years, the City Council may not take it up this summer as expected.

It is too early to know how House Bill 2001, which is being considered by the 2019 Oregon Legislature, will affect the project if it passes, which now looks likely.

Both would eliminate single-family zoning and would allow small multifamily housing projects to be built on practically any lot Portland. The Residential Infill Project, or RIP, recommendations might end up implementing the requirements in HB 2001.

But HB 2001 also might impose additional requirements on Portland, which means the recommendations might be sent back to the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability for additional work before the council begins holding hearings on them. It all depends on what is in the final version of HB 2001 the Legislature approves.

Metro President Lynn Peterson was blunt about the options for reworking the Interstate 5 and Interstate 84 intersection in the Rose Quarter during her State of the Region address at the City Club of Portland on Friday, April 19.

Those who want the freeway capped and redeveloped need to accept the Oregon Department of Transportation's proposal to realign the intersections and add new merging lanes between them.

Opponents are criticizing the estimated $500 million project as a "freeway expansion" that will not reduce congestion in the long run. But Peterson said the two projects are interconnected.

Peterson called the ODOT project "a very small tweak to a freeway system," and said, "We've mentioned the lid that will allow for connective tissue of 'urbanness' so that you never actually feel like you are walking across a freeway. That's not going to happen if we're not also doing the other part of the project."

Peterson is not a newcomer to such projects. She is a trained transportation expert who formerly served as the director of the Washington Department of Transportation.